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Top Business Schools for Business Analytics and Big Data 2018

With the rise of big data, businesses increasingly need managers who can quickly analyze and understand the implications of huge amounts of information. An MBA program with a specialization in Business Analytics or Big Data is valuable because it allows students to understand how to collect, sort, and understand the implications of data, and then to understand how to leverage data to meet strategic goals. While careers in business analytics can range from analyst-level positions to business intelligence managers, the concepts can be applied broadly, especially in marketing, supply chain, and operations functions. Although some schools offer MBA specializations in Business Analytics / Big Data, increasingly, business schools are teaching these concepts in their MBA programs’ core curriculum. For students looking to go deeper, some business schools offer specialized master’s program in Business Analytics / Big Data.

Launched in 2013, Stern’s Center for Business Analytics publishes research and provides networking opportunities. The school offers an MBA specialization in Business Analytics, as well as a Master of Science in Business Analytics. Fusing the school’s strengths in business analytics and finance, the school also offers an MBA specialization in Financial Systems and Analytics.

Through the school's MBA concentration in Business Analytics, students can more effectively understand concepts in data mining, statistical modeling, and project management. The school also offers a 12-month MS in Business Analytics. Some students choose to pair the MBA and the specialized master’s program.

Wharton’s recently-launched MBA major in Business Analytics provides students with an understanding of how to solve real-world problems by leveraging data. The school hosts several related research centers, inclusion the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative and Wharton People Analytics.

HEC Paris is one of the few European business schools that's added analytics curriculum to its MBA program. In 2013, the school partnered with IBM to add business analytics courses to its MBA specialization in strategy. Students can also take advantage of the school’s Business Analytics Club, which puts on networking and informational events.

Although the MBA program’s core curriculum touches on many aspects in big analytics and big data, for students who want to dig deeper, the school also offers a dedicated concentration in Business Analytics. Fox’s Global Center for Big Data in Mobile Analytics publishes relevant research and puts on an annual “Big Data Conference." Additionally, the school also offers an MS degree in Business Analytics.

With a strong tradition of education and research in technology, it’s no surprise that Carnegie Melon’s Tepper Business School was one of the first to integrate analytics elements in their MBA programs. Indeed, today, the school’s MBA track in Business Analytics leverages the school’s research strengths in subjects like operations and information systems. Even the MBA’s core curriculum provides a great overview of analytics, with classes like “Probability and Statistics” and “Statistical Decision-Making."

Established in 2014, Scheller’s Business Analytics Center puts on networking events and produces relevant research. The school’s MBA concentration in Business Analytics touches on process analysis and design, business intelligence, marketing research, and other topics.

Since opening in 2011, Goizueta’s Marketing Analytics Center provides students and faculty with networking opportunities through conferences and other events. The school offers several MBA concentrations that are relevant to business analytics, including one in Marketing Analytics and other in Decision Analysis.

Since partnering with IBM in 2013 to launch a Business Analytics Center, NUS has launched a Master of Science in Business Analytics, the first of its kind in Singapore. Students in NUS’ MBA program can be exposed to analytics through such classes as "Analytics for Managers."

Touching on concepts like marketing research and forecast, Rotman’s MBA major in Management Analytics is a good choice for those looking to study business analytics / big data in Canada. The school also offers a specialized Master of Management Analytics program.

Several dozen schools have rolled out M.S. programs in business analytics in the past year alone, capitalizing on high demand for professionals in this field. But will the market reach saturation soon?